Being an OFW requires hard work, and this shapes them to keep their determination whatever situation comes their way.
Good traits ingrained in our modern heroes could prove really useful in starting their own business.
Edwin and Macx Pantaleon did what any other Overseas Filipino Worker would do: strive hard to save money, go back to the Philippines, and start a business using their savings.
The couple spent PhP 400,000 alone for their online gaming cafe business in January 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic was just starting to get its stronghold in the country.
They were forced to close their business and resorted to other means of income.
Pre-loved clothes business is an ongoing trend online, but Filipinos have been buying ukay-ukay clothes since the 1980s. So it just made sense to join the party in March 2020.
However, they did not even reach break-even point in their first attempt.
Just as the saying goes, “when you hit rock bottom, the only way is up,” the couple gambled all of their money left.
Macx had an instinct that pre-loved clothes selling is a winning business: there is a strong demand, there are plentiful suppliers, and there is a low barrier to entry.
She temporarily resorted to a food business to recoup some of their losses since the pandemic provided an excellent opportunity for food merchants because of the lockdowns.
Again, Macx and Edwin tried their luck once again in the used clothes business. But this time, they opted to spend lower capital.
Moreover, they created a unique selling proposition: they poured effort into actually getting the clothes washed, and even ironed.
Filipinos are known for cleanliness, as symbolized by the white color in our flag. The rule of thumb in using ukay-ukay clothes is to wash them before wearing them. So their move clicked for the buyers.
Just a month after their first attempt, they are now dealing with 7,000 orders that even the local courier service cannot handle all of them.
They are now earning at least 300,000 per month, which enabled them to invest more in their business.
The business couple is able to buy not just pre-loved clothes but also pre-loved vehicles: a motorcycle and a car!
“Buti matigas ang ulo niya. Nag-try ulit. Sugal ulit,” Edwin quipped. (It’s a good thing she is persistent. She tried again, and pushed her luck.)
Still, in the raging pandemic, they were able to construct their own 120 square meter home in April 2021.
Macx gave an advice to fellow Filipinos: “kung susuko ka, ikaw ‘yung talo.” (If you will give up, you will lose.)
Whatever the challenges you face, don’t give up, especially when you have a winning business.
All you need is patience when you already have the capital, hard work, and determination.
The successful couple may have been another exception to the norm, also showing the possibility that “behind every successful woman is a man.”
